help with getting rid of something

K

krazykanuck

New member
I have a thundercloud metallic IS300 with some unfortunate marks on its hood. They have been there for a while and I can't get rid of them with repeated washing or anything I have tried. I have no idea what they are from. I plan to clay bar and wax the car next week when I'm on break from school and want to tackle this when I'm at it. What else do I need to do to it when I clay bar & wax. Its a 2004 and has never been waxed or anything, just washed every 2 weeks. I'd like some suggestions on what to do for a process and stuff to use. Any suggestions would be awesome. This site is great for advice so I thought I'd come here for help. Here are some pics that show the dark marks on my hood.



Thanks. :)



Hood3Resized.jpg




Hood1Resized.jpg
 
krazykanuck- Welcome to Autopia!



I'd go about it this way- first wash and clay. See if the claying helps much. Then use a paint cleaner like Meguiar's Deep Crystal Step #1. See how *that* works on the spots. Then consider a mildly abrasive polish. I"m not sure what you can get OTC, but maybe Meguia'rs Scratch-X might be worth a try. Don't try the Deep Crystal Step #2 polish as it's nonabrasive and that's not what you need.



And get some wax on that poor thing ;)



Since you're still in school I'd get some Collinite wax to use after the above processes. Very long lasting and easy to use. I don't recommend finicky/less than durable products because if school gets hectic you don't want to have to spend time rewaxing the car.
 
If that doesn't work should I just wax over it anyway? I was planning on using Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax (either paste or liquid) and finding time isn't a problem for me, just I wanted to have a day to spend the first time. Durability isn't a huge concern for me when it comes to wax. Does paste or liquid work any better than the other? After Scratch X do you have to wash the area again or anything before you wax it? I'm new to this so I'm not sure.



Thanks.
 
Liquid wax works as well as the paste, and is easier to apply.



With Scratch-X and other paint cleaners, you need to work them in with some effort until they are almost dry, then wipe it off with a microfiber cloth. It might take a few applications. You can then apply wax without washing again.
 
krazykanuck said:
Sounds good. Anything else I should know??
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If you clay, do take some extra time and be careful. Kneed the clay as it gets dirty, so a realitively clean side of the clay is touching the paint. If you drop it, throw it away, no exceptions. Also be careful not to rub too hard with it, you just kind of want to glide with it. Scrubbing or rubbing hard with it could damage the paint. And, of course, always use a lube with it - be it your wash water or a quick detailer.



After you polish your car, always be sure to wax it. Polishes or paint cleaners strip your car of wax, and you don't want to drive around unprotected - so definitely make sure you have time to throw a coat of wax on after you're done.



Other than that... All I have to say is may the force be with you! :laugh:
 
Don't worry I'd say... It should go away with a cleaner (polish) and wax after you wash thoroughly and clay away. They looked like water spots a bit too deeply etched. Not a hard one though...



Welcome to the bunch... :bigups
 
Thanks for all the replies. I think I will be getting a PC next month, so should I just wait to polish it then and hold off on wax/clay? Or next week, can I just clay then wax and skip the polish? How hard is it to do by hand? Is it one of those things where I would have to do the entire car and not just one area, say the hood?



Thanks.
 
I'd do what you can to the hood ASAP. Since it's just one panel I'd clay/polish/wax and see if you can get it taken care of now. If it's some kind of contamination you don't want it on the paint any longer than necessary.
 
I'm with Accumulator. Do what you can to fix the problem now rather than waiting until you get the PC next month. Wash the area, clay it, then go over it with a cleaner wax just to try and get whatever is there off. To answer your other question, yes you can just clay one area of the car, the whole car doesn't have to be done at once (but is normally a good idea anyways!).
 
Thanks guys. Thursday is going to be so much fun!! :D I will stop being a newb once I get a bit of experience.



Hopefully it won't make me :hairpull
 
krazykanuck said:
Thanks guys. Thursday is going to be so much fun!! :D I will stop being a newb once I get a bit of experience. l
Click to expand...



That is what they all say! :doh :getdown



Will add something that came to light this very day for me. If and when you get the claybar to do your car you might consider taking the clay bar and cut it in half. Put one half away for later use. Then section the claybar into equal pieces. 15 pieces to be exact.

Once you have sectioned the claybar you are ready to do the entire car. 2 for the hood. Two for the roof. one for each door. etc.,etc.. This is the amount specified from what I read for a normal four door sedan.



Roll the small piece of claybar into a ball. Then flatten it out into a small circle. Just enough to cover about two thirds of three fingers. Then get the detail spray that you use for lubricant and do a section with the small piece of clay. When you have done half of the area that you will be working turn the claybar over. Do the other half of the area. When the section is completed throw the clay away. This will help in keeping any marring from occuring in case you have picked up some contaminents from they area that you just completed. Remember to keep the area lubed. Using gentle but firm strokes in the area that you work. If your fingers are going thru the clay you are pressing to hard.



Of course you can use the whole claybar and knead the contaminents into the claybar to hide the contaminents. I have always done the latter of the two ways that I have suggested. Having just learned of this method today. From now on I will do what I first described because it makes sense to me.



This information should be credited to Bill North. A respected poster of this forum. I don't think he posts here very often any more. I read of it in another forum that he frequents. I think that the information will be invaluable for my next complete detail.



It is something to be considered. Being the newbie that I am I always try find the best way to do all the steps of each detail. This something that I did not think about when I have clayed in previous attempts. It makes sense to me.
 
Well, I did it! It came out pretty well. I:



Wash with some car soap

Clay

Wash again

ScratchX on some isolated spots

Wax w/ Meguiars Gold Class Paste Wax



I couldn't get that crap off my hood, but other than that it came out really nicely. I love how nice and smooth my paint feels after the wax. The directions are bad because it says to wax the entire car and let dry. Well, by the time you make it half way down the car, the hood is already hazed over. :confused: I figured out to not follow the directions and it worked well. Here are some post wax pics. I guess I'll just have to try a more abrasive compound with a PC a little later. :(



IS10Resized.jpg


IS16.jpg


IS8.jpg
 
Nice to see it looking so good. Don't worry about the wax hazing so fast, Meguiar's LSPs are supposed to dry/haze before you buff them off.



Next time, I'd try some #80 on the hood.
 
Whoa ! that second detail shot made me ache to caress the screen !

I'll tell ya, for us deta-maniacs caressing a smooth waxed fender is much better than caressing a lady' s leg !!

However I'd suggest you pay some little more attention to your wheels and tyres (dunno if you took care of em before you took the shots...)



Good work pal, keep it up ! :D
 
Yeah, I was driving on some sand right before I took this pic so the tires look wierd. They looked pretty good when I finished though. I stood there for a few minutes just touching the car...The wax made it feel so soft and nice. Soft for a sheet of metal I guess...It's all relative. ;)
 
As for doing a car all at once, it doesn't have to be done that way. As a disabled vet, I normally split my car in to sections; fully completing one before starting another. Horizontal surfaces can take me a day, then verticals on another. Problem areas like front and rear bumpers get extra attention. I've also found my horizontal surfaces need polishing/waxing more often; possibly due to them always receiving direct sunlight.



In your case, you could easily wash the entire car, polish the hood with a quality polish (my personal favorite is Meg's #80 Speed Glaze, but there are many other good ones out there). From the looks of the pic, it appears there's some etching going on there, so I think an abrasive polish would be needed. Keep in mind that when I say abrasive, I am referring to how it "polishes" and not necessarily its aggressiveness. Speed Glaze or even Meg's DACP (#83) would be safe for you to use. But start out with the least aggressive (Speed Glaze or similar) first. If doing by hand, Scratch X could work good for you, too (it is an abrasive type polish, but won't damage your paint). Stay away from "compounds", as they are typically too aggressive for such minor spots. And they can wreck havoc on a finish if not used by an experienced person with the right tools.

After you polish out the spots, apply your wax or sealant of choice. I personally use Meg's NXT topped with #16 for my arctic pearl white Maxima. 4 Star UPP is also a good sealant I have, and I use it just for "something different" every once in awhile. There are many other good ones out there, and I'm sure you'll get more recommendations based on people's personal recommendations. Keep in mind that none of them are "wrong", just different personal preferences.

Almost forgot. If your car hasn't been clayed, it would be worth doing it. I would clay before polishing, then polish to your heart's content. The polishing will remove anything like clay residue, so washing after claying won't be necessary.



Congrats on getting the PC. I think you'll be polishing/waxing your car more often now. And marks like you have now will no longer be a worry. In fact, they'll be an "excuse".



Welcome to the sickness!



Dave
 
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